Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/314

 Not to  do  so,  while  it  can  be  done,  is  a monstrous insensibility.

[Disclaim every love  but  that  of  God  alone,  and  endeavor  to love  him  above  all  things.]

“If I have not  charity,  I am  nothing.” — 1 Cor. xiii.

1. Nothing  was  ever  purchased  at  so  dear  a rate  as my  soul. A divine life  was  given  to  redeem  it. I deserved hell: justice  cried  out  for  punishment; but Christ would  listen  only  to  the  love  he  bore  me; it pleaded  in  my  behalf,  and  I obtained  forgiveness. If I return him  not  life  for  life,  the  least  I can  do  is  to return  him  love  for  love.

2. The  dog  that  I feed,  watches,  caresses,  and attends me. Jesus has  given  his  blood  for  me,  and continues to  give  me  himself; yet  I am  still  insensible. Learn, then,  ungrateful  soul— learn,  I say, thy duty  from  a brute ! If his  example  make  not  an impression  on  thy  heart,  thou  art  more  insensible to benefits  than  he  is.

3. We  can  feel  for  our  friends; we  are  not  insensible of  the  good  they  do  us; we  pique  ourselves upon gratitude. Shall we  then  be  ungrateful  only to Christ? Shall he  alone  find  us  hard-hearted? Had we  ever  a friend  that  sacrificed  himself  for  us?

[Beg the love  of  Jesus,  from  Jesus  himself. Without his  grace we shall  never  be  able  to  love  him.]

“ If any one  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus,  let  him  be  accursed  " — i Cor.  vi.

“If I belong to  him  entirely  for  having  created  me,  what  shall  I add  for  having  redeemed,  and  redeemed  mo  in  so  excellent  a manner.”— Bernard.

1. If  we  love  not  our  neighbour  we  cannot  love God. Whatever good  we  do  is  to  no  purpose,  if  we